Jaguars looking foolish for not drafting a CB after the Adonai Mitchell pick

After the Jacksonville Jaguars selected wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. on Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft, they were expected to bolster their secondary in Round 2. However, they went with defensive tackle Maason Smith at No. 48. While Smith could turn out to be a game-changer the decision to pass on a cornerback has raised eyebrows, especially after the Indianapolis Colts took wide receiver Adonai Mitchell with the 52nd pick.

Cornerback was arguably the Jags' biggest remaining need after taking Thomas in the first round. They had several chances to trade up but they instead let other teams take the best prospects available. Whether it was Kool-Aid McKinstry (New Orleans Saints) or Cooper DeJean (Philadelphia Eagles), Jacksonville chose to stay put until pick No. 48.

Maybe that was the plan all along. Once the top three (Terrion Arnold, Nate Wiggins, and Quinyon Mitchell) were gone, they decided to target other needs. The trouble is that they're quickly running out of options. Mike Sainristil was taken just two picks after they chose Smith.

Make no mistake. Smith is an enticing addition to the defensive front and there are still a handful of prospects on the board (Andru Phillips, and Renardo Green), but the Jaguars passed up a great opportunity to take care of a need.

In their defense, teams often get flak for reaching for a need instead of going for the best player available. In this case, Maason Smith surely had a higher grade than whatever cornerback the Jags had on their big board.

The Jaguars will now have to face Adonai Mitchell twice a year

Adonai Mitchell rounds out a wide receiver corps that includes Michael Pittman Jr. (who re-signed with the Colts in free agency), Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce. He won't have to have an immediate impact but he should have favorable matchups early in his career with his teammates diverting coverage away from him.

While Mitchell never crossed the 1,000-yard mark in his collegiate career, he did show playmaking potential in 2023, hauling in 55 receptions for 845 yards with 18 touchdowns in 2023. On top of that, he earned a Second-Team All-Big 12 designation last year.

But as talented as Mitchell is, there's a reason his draft stock plummeted and lasted until the second round. He consistently disappeared at Texas and his character concerns were a turn-off for several clubs. Add the fact that he didn't always deal with his Type-1 diabetes well, and it's easy to see his selection as a risky one.

Leaving Mitchell aside, the draft isn't done as of this writing and there's a chance the Jaguars will take a cornerback. Once the season starts, they should be ready to face Adonai Mitchell and the rest of the Colts' aerial attack next season.

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